In this first episode of our series, the residents of NYCHA walk us through what life was like in Brownsville, Brooklyn — the most concentrated public housing neighborhood in America – and what it looks like today. Lifelong residents NYCHA reflect on the better days of public housing and grapple with its current state of neglect.
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More From A Dream Deferred
A Dream Deferred: We’re Still Here (Episode 5)
Our docuseries ends at Family Day, a day of celebration and community for those living in Seth Low houses. There, residents ask what it will take for people and politicians to see the residents of NYCHA as a community worth…
A Dream Deferred: Press Information Page
About the series: “What happens to a dream deferred?” (Langston Hughes, Harlem, 1951). Residents of public housing in New York moved in with the promise of affordable housing and a stepping stone to financial stability and independence. But, lack of…
A Dream Deferred: Politics and Promises (Episode 4)
Politicians at the local, state, and federal level have made promises to the NYCHA community, but what is actually being done? This episode of “A Dream Deferred” follows the politics of NYCHA and the response from residents seeking improved conditions.
A Dream Deferred: Housing is Health (Episode 3)
Shelevya Pearson brought her newborn daughter Sakajawia home to NYCHA. Eleven years later, Shelevya claims that NYCHA's poor maintenance has played a role in her daughter's health conditions. Unfortunately, with children hospitalizations for asthma being higher in Brownsville than the…
A Dream Deferred: The Struggle Is Real (Episode 2)
Maintenance issues in NYCHA can go unresolved for months, forcing some residents to protect their homes and their health by taking matters into their own hands. In the second episode of "A Dream Deferred: The Broken Promise of New York…
About the Series: A Dream Deferred
“What happens to a dream deferred?” (Langston Hughes, Harlem, 1951). Residents of public housing in New York moved in with the promise of affordable housing and a stepping stone to financial stability and independence. But, lack of oversight and political…
A Dream Derferred: Promo
What is it like living in North America's largest public housing authority? We meet residents, young and old, grappling with health, safety, and quality of life issues, under the neglected conditions of NYCHA. This five-part docuseries explores the problems within…